Execution
by OverlordYue
Summary: Sima Yi's revolt was unsuccessful thanks to the warriors of Wei and now him and his following butterfly, Zhang He, must face the death penalty for such. Slight Zhang He and Sima Yi
1. Crying Joy

My lip is bleeding.

My eyes are wetting.

My body is shaking.

The guards that hold my bound arms pretend not to notice as my teeth sink deeper into my already red lip. They look away as tears openly trace down my cheeks, and they don't comment as I tremble with fear as I watch the scene before me.

I fear not for my life.

But for his life.

Sima Yi's life.

How can he kneel there without even a trace of fear?

As I look down from the top of the stairs where I await the same fate, I cannot believe how calm my lord looks. As confident and cool as ever.

Does he not see that this is the end? That there is no where else to go and no means of escape?

We've hit rock bottom.

A dead end.

I curse the birds that sing as Cao Pi paces before Sima Yi, who raises his head as Cao Pi passes him. I lean forward as Sima Yi began to speak in an almost amused voice.

"So my path ends here... does it?"

Cao Pi stops behind Sima Yi, sword clutched tightly in his right hand. Sima Yi bows his head, exposing the back of his neck as if giving the Lord of Wei a clear target.

I want so badly to cry out, to save him as Cao Pi raises his sword high above my beloved's head.

As the sword swishes down I look away, my eyes snapping shut, and a small, jagged gasp sounds from my lips.

I dare not open my eyes as silence fills the air. I fear if I open them, I would see Sima Yi's head rolling along the ground, a mob of beautiful brown hair, hatless and dead.

But, as the silence stretches on abnormally long, I peek my eyes open to see that the appearance of my lord has not changed. Not a single hair had been cut from his head, or even a small tear made in his clothing.

But then I notice what has changed.

His bonds are cut.

As I lift my head, my tears frozen on my cheeks, Cao Pi begins to speak, "Sima Yi, I told you before. The world that my father saw and one that I sought for myself, requires one of ability."

With those last words, Cao Pi steps away from my Sima Yi, who raises his hands to study them. The restored Lord of Wei begins to climb the stairs toward his palace, nodding at the guards that hold me to let me go.

The moment my bonds are cut, I race forward, meeting Cao Pi's gaze for barely a second before I pass him and reach the bottom of the stairs.

I drop to my knees beside Sima Yi, one hand on his shoulder and the other steadying myself.

The former, and now reinstated, strategist of Wei has a scowl, darker than any other I have ever seen him wear, upon his face. I feel my heart jerk as I look into those eyes that look beyond murderous.

"Curse you," he growls, barely moving his head so he could see behind him, "you Caos are... mere fools."

"My lord Sima Yi?" I whisper, and his eyes snap to me, a cold fire blazing within them. I shudder and nervously let my hand drop from his shoulder. He rises, and I jump up beside him as he faces the retreating back of Cao Pi, who has just crossed the threshold of his palace.

"We have not given up, my lord?" I ask, my voice soft. He laughs, high and cold, before he looks back at me, an evil grin spreading across his lips. He raises a hand and wipes away a tear that still linger on my face, "Do not fret my butterfly, I have vowed to grasp this land. And so I shall. For that fool to have left me alive... he will regret it-"

That's when I kick him, hard.

His hiss of pain is covered by a cough as he reaches down to touch his now throbbing shin.

"What are you doing?!" he asks as he steps neatly out of the way of my second kick.

I scowl and cross my arms, "Did you know all along he wasn't going to kill you?"

"I saw it as a possibility, but I wasn't positive," Sima Yi mutters, catching my fist as I attempt to slam it into his chest.

"Then why didn't you tell me there was a chance of you surviving!?" I demand, "I thought he was going to kill you!"

"If I told you," Sima Yi chuckles, pulling me to him in a embrace that keeps my arms pined to my side to prevent anymore damage to him, "I wouldn't get to see those lovely and rare tears of yours."

"Sadist. Don't think I'll forgive you easily," I growl against his chest. He chuckles and brushes a kiss across my forehead, "That's unfortunate. I don't like planing peoples' demises alone."

"That's too bad."

"I didn't want to give you false hope," Sima Yi pulls back, "I didn't want to tell you I would live only to have you see me killed right in front of you."

I reach up my hands and wipe away the last of the tears on my face before I allow a small smile to break across my face.

He smirks.

He knew I would cave before I ever enforced any ignoring or stubborn attitude.

This is one feature...

...That I really hate about him.


	2. Beautiful Pride

I listen to Cao Pi's rhythmic steps, trying to detect any hint of hesitation in them.

There is definitely an odd pace to them, but I am no longer able to concentrate on that as Zhang He is dragged out behind me.

I glance at him, and away again, just having time to take in his beyond worried expression.

If my calculations are correct, I will walk away from this alive. And if I am mistaken...

My eyes close.

Zhang He's blood will spill here as well.

"Lord Sima Yi..." the butterfly warrior whispers fearfully as Cao Pi calls for me and the guards begin pulling me down the palace stairs.

I don't respond as I concentrate on keeping my footing with my buffoon guards, who are jerking slightly as they walk.

Are they uncoordinated or just plain stupid?

I listen wordlessly as Cao Pi reads out my crimes, trying not to shift my hands that are growing increasingly more uncomfortable in their bonds.

I wonder briefly what my late Lord Cao Cao would think if he could see me now, bound and about to be executed... what a sight I must be.

My deafness to my surrounding fades when Cao Pi turns to face me, his eyes a dark mystery.

The guards jab my back, and I fold down gracefully onto my knees with a small twinge of irritation.

These ceremonies are so over dramatic.

It would be easier if they just out right chopped my head off- No.

I glance up at Zhang He again.

No, I shouldn't think quite like that; my time would be better spent perhaps thinking of a plan. Then again, there is no time for left _me_. And it isn't looking too good for my butterfly either.

Cao Pi slows his pacing before me when birds begin to tweet, and a pair of blue jays soar by, one chasing the other.

I take that as my cue to speak, "So my path ends here," I arch an eyebrow, "...does it?"

I let my question linger, smirking with amusement at the silencing effect it has on the small crowd of officers and soldiers as they wait for Cao Pi to respond.

My words stop Cao Pi, and he looks down at me for a long moment before stepping around so that he stands behind me.

So this was it?

Hmm, funny.

I lower my head slightly, closing my eyes so I can listen.

Although I can't see Cao Pi, I deduce from the small sound that jerks itself from Zhang He's throat and the sound of wind against metal that my life is going to end in a millisecond or so.

I feel a small flutter of wind by my hands, and my sleeves flap gently in response.

Silence.

I blink my eyes open.

I'm not dead.

At least... I don't _think _I am... then again, I've never felt death.

It could feel just like living, I suppose, however, I can't be dead if I can hear Cao Pi speaking.

"Sima Yi, I told you before. The world that my father saw and one that I sought for myself, requires one of ability," he is saying, and I slowly move my hands, finding that they were free.

I look at them, slowly curling them into fists and scowling as the sound of clattering footsteps booms in my ears. My heart does a small jump when I feel the familiar hand of Zhang He touch my shoulder as he kneels next to me.

I glance at him, and he looks taken aback. It seems I misjudged just how much venom I've put into my look as I turn my head more to see the retreating back of Cao Pi.

"Curse you," I whisper, the words coming out louder and more snarly then I had intended, showing the gash in my pride, "You Caos are... mere fools."

"My lord Sima Yi?" Zhang He asks, and my eyes snap back to him. I feel and see him shudder at the cold gaze that I am trying, but failing, to melt. He removes his hand from my shoulder after a moment and I rise. I wait until he has joined me before I turn to watch Cao Pi enter the palace that had almost been mine.

"We have not given up my lord?" Zhang He whispers, looking at me softly. A laugh pushes its way through my lips at the very thought of surrender. I smirk at him and brush a tear effortlessly away from his red cheeks, "Do not fret my butterfly, I have vowed to grasp this land. And so I shall. For that fool to have left me alive... he will regret it-"

Then there is a searing pain in my left shin, and I let out a hiss of pain that hitches in my throat, causing me to cough, half covering the pain filled noise.

"What are you doing?!" I ask as I side-step the next kick and look at Zhang He's furious face.

He crosses his arms, which I can't deny I find a tad adorable, and scowls, "Did you know all along he wasn't going to kill you?"

"I saw it as a possibility, but I wasn't positive," I reply, barely catching his fist as he swings it at my chest.

"Then why didn't you tell me there was a chance of you surviving!?" he bristles, "I thought he was going to kill you!"

"If I told you," I laugh, pulling him to me in an embrace of both reassurance (and protection, on my side) as I continue, "I wouldn't get to see those lovely and rare tears of yours."

"Sadist. Don't think I'll forgive you easily," he growls against me, his breath soaking through my clothes. It makes me chuckle, and I brush a kiss against his wrinkleless forehead, "That's unfortunate. I don't like planing peoples' demises alone."

"That's too bad."

"I didn't want to give you false hope," I pull back so I can look him directly in the eye, "I didn't want to tell you I would live only to have you see me killed right in front of you."

Zhang He reaches up his purple clad hands and wipes away the last of the sparkling tears on his beautiful face before one of his famous smiles blossoms across his face.

I smirk.

Zhang He's heart is too beautiful to push me away, which is why I can trust him with my life more than all my warriors and family put together.

This is the feature...

...I love most about him.


End file.
